US PRESIDENT DONALD Trump has attacked Joe Biden by saying he “is not playing with a full deck”, after an apparent gaffe by the Democratic front runner.

Speaking about education at a campaign stop in Iowa, Biden said:

“We should challenge students in these schools…… We have this notion that somehow if you’re poor, you cannot do it. Poor kids are just as bright and just as talented as white kids.”

After a pause, Biden continued: “Wealthy kids, black kids, Asian kids, no, I really mean it, but think how we think about it.”

The comment prompted further questions about Biden’s record on race issues, which have been raised by several of his Democratic rivals. Most notably Senator Kamala Harris.

Candidate Bill de Blaiso was critical of Biden’s new comments, saying they shouldn’t be dismissed and that they raise questions about racism. He tweeted:

Asked about Biden by reporters while departing the White House, Trump said he did see the comments.

“Look, Joe is not playing with a full deck. He made that comment. I said, ‘whoa’. I saw it because I was on — something,” Trump said.

“Joe Biden is not playing with a full deck. This is not somebody you can have as your President. But if he got the nomination, I’d be thrilled. ”

Kate Bedingfield, Biden’s deputy campaign manager, said yesterday that Biden “misspoke and immediately corrected himself during a refrain he often uses,” specifically about how to level the playing field for low-income students.